Hop on board the Milton time machine

Built in 1891, the Village Hall has served many purposes over the years, as a store, post office, hosting town meetings and even an indoor poultry farm in the top level. This photo shows the roof with the words Town Hall written on the tiles. The building now houses The Milton Independent.(Photo: Courtesy Milton Historical Society)

Often 21st century Vermont town meetings no longer resemble the iconic painting by Norman Rockwell, but like most of Rockwell's subjects, something still remains that is fundamentally sound. Beneath the modern trappings, there is still a core of independence and even contrariness that Vermonters value and do not wish to discard. Milton is no different.

Chartered June 8, 1763, Milton was not settled until after the American Revolution. There were a few people settling here, and when they met to begin town layout and surveying Milton, they went to longer-settled towns to have those meetings.

Throughout Milton’s history the annual town meeting was held various places such as people’s homes, private stores and official town houses or offices. Central House, located on River Street (modern day U.S. 7), was one of those places. The building burned in the late 1800s.(Photo: Courtesy Milton Historical Society)

On June 25, 1788, at a meeting held in Manchester, the official organization of the town of Milton was undertaken. The earliest meetings actually held in town took place in private homes. In 1795 for the annual meeting, the town rented the home of Alpheus Mansfield, and that was the practice until a Town Meeting House was built in the Checkerberry section of Milton. Over the years as fires destroyed meeting places, the meetings were moved to the village of Milton, which was known as Milton Falls. These and other events have made for a very agile town meeting, moved to various locations, including the Austin Opera House, an official Town Hall (which later became the Old Post Office), and different venues in the schools. In recent years the Community Room in the new municipal building has hosted the gathering, which is held the evening before Vermont's official Town Meeting Day. In Milton, Tuesday has become just the day to vote on the items discussed the previous night.

This aerial view of the Checkerberry area of Milton is where the first town house, built in 1805, was located. This aerial view is one of many featured in the 2015 calendar: History from Above, Aerial Views of Milton. Copies of this calendar are available for purchase at miltonhistorical@yahoo.com.(Photo: Courtesy Milton Historical Society)

Haywards and tythingmen

Along with the original form of town meeting, we have gradually left behind some of the positions that used to be necessary in Milton. They seem quaint nowadays, although in our agricultural past they were useful positions. We no longer find the need for haywards, road surveyors, tythingmen. A hayward was originally an old English officer who encouraged the upkeep of the animal enclosures within a village. Haywards would often help to return escaped animals. Tythingmen were an early sort of police force charged with inspection of inns and pubs, and in some places making sure everyone was in church on Sunday. Some necessary members of boards and commissions are now appointed by the Selectboard, not elected, because fewer people run for the positions on the ballots.

Town meeting has always included public voting on offices, from town moderator to the superintendent of schools. Voters used to nominate and vote from the floor for every office; now the Australian ballot reigns in Milton. In earlier days voters were a less inclusive body than now; women, for instance, were forbidden to vote for many years, although before women were allowed to vote nationally, Vermont became the first state in New England to allow them to vote in local and state elections.

It is moving to read in the 1917 records how for the first time that mothers, grandmothers and aunts were given the right to vote. In Milton, Lucia Powell, Bertha Prentiss, Addie Landon and Lucia Phelps were first in a long line of women to go before the town clerk, Leon Latham, to take the Freeman's Oath and become legal voters. Other voting changes over the years were the inclusion of African-American voters after the Civil War, Native Americans in 1911, and 18-year-olds in 1971.

Milton’s first town house was completed in late 1805 and was used for the town meeting in March 1806. This depiction is shown on a single square of a quilt that tells the story of the history of Milton. The quilt was created in 1982 by members of the community to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the first five settlers of Milton. The quilt is on permanent display at the Milton Historical Museum.(Photo: Courtesy Milton Historical Society)

Milton began printing town reports in 1872. That radically changed town meeting by putting information in the hands of Milton's residents. Reports became exercise manuals for town meeting marathon — every penny could be seen and discussed! Taxes have always been one of the major items. In the past there were ways to pay off taxes if you didn't have cash – you could do road work or lend your horses for credit on your taxes. Now, between ourselves and the state, we have to come forward with real money, which is okay — how many horses does a town use for roadwork these days?

The Poor Farm offered the most detailed report, covering items sold, support given, a list of every item present on the farm, citizens who moved on or off town support. Some years there are citings of the number of "tramps" that had temporarily stayed at the farm. In a time where there was no welfare system, the poor farm was the local solution. Near the end of the poor farm era, when the office of Overseer of the Poor was phased out, some people still felt poor houses had a purpose, the theory being local people knew who needed help. But the opposite could occur — people down on their luck, out of pride, would suffer rather than seek help from neighbors they knew.

Town reports contain the historical story of a community. In time, the departments and data became more consistent, and comparisons can be made. They are fascinating records. For years births, weddings, and deaths were added each year. Privacy issues would make that a headache and a nightmare now, as well as a very large and heavy report, but the old ones are wonderful research tools, where you find highlights such as a 1910 Milton school superintendent writing, "it gives me great pleasure to be able to report the Town district practically is out of debt for the first time in its history." Milton's Town Reports have honored people over the years. In 1944 the report was dedicated to Darrell Bushey, the first Milton youth to die in World War II; 1945 it was dedicated in memory of Charles Trayah.

After 46 years of service to the town, John Cushing will be stepping down from his role as town clerk and treasurer in March. He was first elected to office on Town Meeting Day 1969 and was re-elected every year since.(Photo: Courtney Lamdin/Milton Independent)

Retirement of John Cushing

Now in 2015 Milton is coming to the end of an era with the retirement of longtime Town Clerk John Cushing, and he is honored on the cover of the Town Report. Cushing has been at Milton's helm for 46 years now, Milton's longest-acting town clerk. His tenure as a public servant is the story of a graduate of Milton schools with a degree from Champlain College. He first worked at Ryan's Market near the Milton Creamery, where his common-sense approach to life, quick wit, and boundless energy quickly caught the attention of many Milton residents. In 1968 Town Clerk Ethel Everest appointed Cushing as the assistant town clerk, which he enjoyed, but resigned to become manager of the Milton Creamery Store, a difficult choice to make.

Everest announced in 1969 she was retiring, and when Paul Robar circulated petitions to put Cushing on the ballot, he agreed to run. He was elected by a very large margin on March 4, 1969, the first time Milton voted by Australian ballot. Robar, a justice of the peace, proudly administered the oath as town clerk then treasurer to Cushing just minutes after his election. He's been re-elected every year since.

Shown here is the stately Main Street residence of Joseph Clark. The building later served as Milton’s town offices until 1994 when a new building was built across town on Bombardier Road. The building then reverted to descendants of Clark who sold it to private owners. It operated as a restaurant for a number of years before turning back into a residence.(Photo: Courtesy Milton Historical Society)

Accountability to the town has been Cushing's guiding philosophy. In financial matters, he has been instrumental in having certified public accountants check town accounts and transactions. Cushing has helped educate town clerks all over the state and served as president of the Vermont League of Clerks for 1995-96, and 2007-2009.

In addition to his duties as town clerk, Cushing has been a volunteer with the Milton Fire/ Rescue teams for 30 years, and a game warden. He goes into "retirement" as an avid maple syrup producer who participates in the St. Alban's Maple Festival and the Maple Building at the Champlain Valley Fair. He is active in St. Ann's Church. John and wife Linda have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

James Ballard is the Milton town historian working with the Milton Historical Society. Contributions to this article also came from Lorinda Henry, Allison Belisle and Linda Ballard of the Milton Historical Society as well as the ladies in the Town Clerk's Office: Paulette Lafond, Loretta Devino, Sheryl Prince and Celeste Lang.

ET Holbrook was town clerk of Milton for most of the years between 1893 and 1914. This photo was taken in 1913.(Photo: Courtesy Milton Historical Society)

March events

The Milton Historical Society Museum is located at 13 School St in Milton. It is open the first and third weekend of the month April-October from 1-4 p.m. You can also join our mailing list by email at miltonhistorical@yahoo.com or by liking us on Facebook.

Wednesday, 6 p.m. Dinner and a Movie: "Shore Things." Come in and get out of the cold and join us at the museum for a reminder of all things warm. Summer seems so far away but not with our beach-themed evening. Bring a dish to share and join us for a pot luck dinner and the movie 'Shore Things." The dinner bell rings at 6 p.m.

March 22 1-4 p.m. Sugar on Snow Party at the Milton Grange Hall. Live music, maple treats and family activities.